1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air conditioning units in general, and specifically to an improved blower assembly for a packaged climate control unit.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Ground-mounted or roof-mounted climate control units for light industrial or residential use, commonly known as "packaged" climate control units include a containment system for containing the internal components thereof. Packaged climate control units can include, for example, packaged air conditioning units, packaged heat pumps, packaged heating units, and year-round combinational packaged air conditioning and heating units. Given the numerous sensitive internal components of such units, the containment system must repeatedly be partially disassembled and assembled to allow for servicing, maintenance, or replacement of these sensitive internal components.
The conventional containment system for a packaged climate control unit does not allow for easy access to component parts, which have to be routinely serviced or replaced.
One component that is particularly difficult to access in a conventional packaged climate control unit is the blower assembly which includes a blower motor and associated blower wheel. In known packaged climate control units the blower motor and wheel are attached to a blower housing. The blower motor and wheel can be accessed for servicing or replacement only by first removing the entire blower assembly from the unit cabinet. Once the assembly is removed from the packaged unit, several components of the assembly have to be detached to allow access to major components of the assembly such as the blower wheel and blower motor.
There exists a need for a mounting apparatus and method for mounting a blower assembly in a packaged climate control unit which facilities simplified access and removal of a blower assembly and the component parts thereof.